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October 2017

In this week's Torah reading, when Abraham despairs, God directs him to look to two places to find comfort: to the dust of the earth and to the stars in the heavens. Why? When Abraham looks to the dust of the earth, he is reminded of the human community that surrounds him and provides his life on earth with meaning and connection. When he looks up to the stars, Abraham is reminded that he is also connected to something far beyond the short span of his own life, to the divine spirit that animates the cosmos and links past, present, and future. So Abraham is able to step back from despair and to go on with his life and his journey. May we, in our moments of pain and despair, also learn to look to the community on earth that surrounds us and to look up to the heights of the heavens that inspire us with a purpose larger than ourselves. And may we, too, find comfort and the ability to continue our journeys together.